10 Actors Who Changed Indian Filmmaking Forever

Indian Cinema completes a centenary and we can’t help but marvel at all that it has offered and all it has to offer. From brilliant films to versatile actors,

Indian celluloid has tirelessly given us everything, and has only grown in shape, form and content over the years.

From the first silent Hindi film, Raja Harishchandra, to the coming-of-age present generation’s Bombay Talkies - cinema has become bigger and better! Of course, the actors have an integral role to play, figuratively and literally.

MensXP pays tribute to 10 best actors who have changed the face of Indian filmmaking and have galvanised generations of Indians.

1) Balraj Sahni

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He was an actor in his own league as stardom didn’t matter to him. Balraj Sahni always craved for aesthetic pleasures over monetary benefits. His role of a rickshaw driver in Bimal Roy’s groundbreaking epic, Do Bigha Zameen (1953), has remained forever in cinema lovers’ psyche. With a ‘gamcha’ around his neck, he toiled on the streets of Kolkata as a rickshaw-puller for two weeks to get into the skin of his character. We salute such perseverance for the craft. He is undoubtedly the greatest actor Indian cinema has ever witnessed.

2) Guru Dutt

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His name invokes awe and reverence because he was a one-man army. A producer, director, and actor, Guru Dutt is solely credited for ushering in the golden period of Indian cinema – ‘50s and ‘60s. Remember the classics - Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam and Chaudhvin Ka Chand - these are considered to be the greatest films ever made. And Guru Dutt is the only person to reckon with all these masterpieces. His popularity is not only limited to home ground. He stands tall with other legendaries such as Hitchcock, Orson Welles, and Ophulus.

3) Raj Kapoor

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Hindi cinema’s original showman, Raj Kapoor is an inspiration to many filmmakers and actors. Additionally, he is one of the most popular internationally acclaimed Indian film star as well. He is also responsible for several hits in the ‘40s and early ‘50s, which charted the future of commercial Hindi cinema. His slick films such as Aawara, Boot Polish and Shree 420, which was very Indian in treatment but western in themes, provided him populace and glamour, making him one of the most influential figures in the history of Indian cinema.

4) Dilip Kumar

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Muhhamad Yousuf Khan, popularly known as Dilip Kumar, is classified as one of the quintessential ‘heroes’ of Bollywood. Besides the laymen, critics also consider him as one of the greatest actors of all times. He also holds a Guinness World Record of winning the most number of awards by an Indian actor. He has been featured in films of a variety of genres such as the romantic Andaz (1949), the dramatic Devdas (1955), the comical Azaad (1955) and the historical Mughal-e-Azam (1960). The actor is nothing less than an institution to Hindi cinema.

5) Dev Anand

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One of the most handsome actors of Indian celluloid, Dev Anand is termed as eternal and evergreen by many critics. This man continued to be a successful leading actor when almost all his contemporaries had retired. Besides, he has always looked spectacularly younger for his age. He was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002 for his contribution to Indian cinema, which spanned almost 65 years with 114 films, out of which 104 had him as a solo main lead. What more can we say about this legendary genius!

6) Rajesh Khanna

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Referred to as the ‘original superstar’ of Bollywood, the actor is the most versatile actor of Bollywood, with some 73 Golden Jubilee hits in his kitty. He also holds the record for the maximum number of films as the solo lead hero and least number of multi-star cast films. He also introduced the concept of intelligent cinema to the masses as his individual choices of films, which ranged from both commercial potboilers to offbeat cinema, also packed a punch with his fans. Besides, the actor was shockingly stylish. With his stunning looks and extravagant charms, Rajesh Khanna was the quintessential knight-in-shining-armour for many a woman.

7) Amitabh Bachchan

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There are very few people who rule the movie-making culture, and Mr Bachchan is one of them! The original angry young man of Bollywood still grooves like he’s 17. His career started with a slew of flops, but he rose to stardom when Prakash Mehra cast him in Zanjeer. This is still considered to be a benchmark role for any Bollywood actor. Through his four-decade long career, the actor has enthralled audiences with iconic films like Saat Hindustani, Anand, Abhimaan, Namak Haraam, Deewar, Sholay, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Trishul, Don, Mr Natwarlal, and many, many more. You can christen this actor with a zillion names - superstar, megastar, star of the millennium, iconic, but the truth is that no matter what he’s christened, it’s impossible to sum up the importance he holds in this industry!

8) Salman Khan

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Even some of his biggest critics would vouch for the fact that he is perhaps the biggest star in Bollywood today. In what has possibly been one of the glorious periods for Bollywood, Salmaan Khan has given four humongous blockbusters from Sep 2010 to August 2012 - Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard and Ek Tha Tiger - all of which have accumulated gross earnings of more than Rs 100 Crores. His diehard fans know that none of these films were cinematic masterpieces but were box-office hits only because of the charisma of this popular actor. Needless to say, this actor has contributed in leaps and bounds to the economy of entertainment industry.

9) Aamir Khan

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He is the brand ambassador of UNICEF, he has been given the Padma Shri Award in 2003 and Padma Bhushan in 2010, along with being featured on the TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the world list – this, apart from being the greatest actors of Indian cinema. He is obviously touted as ‘Mr Perfectionist’ for a reason! Aamir Khan is also responsible for delivering the highest grossing Bollywood film of all-time - 3 Idiots. His acting prowess has critics comparing him to Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp.

10) Shahrukh Khan

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There was a boy, who after leaving his city – Delhi, came to Mumbai - the city of dreams, to pursue his lady love. Struggle was his best friend then, for he had to sleep on the streets of Mumbai as he had nowhere to go. Frustrated but not dejected, he said then that one day he is going to rule this city forever. And after 22 years, the man who is known as the ‘Badshah of Bollywood’ is ruling the city of Mumbai. He is also the only actor tied with Dilip Kumar to win the most number of awards. His fan count is in billions and he is quite aptly regarded as the world’s biggest movie star.